The best and brightest from this week's Army Times

Army Cyber Command is looking for computer-savvy troops to turn into crack cyberwarriors.

Rapid, substantial growth inside and outside of the command is coming as demand for cyberwarfare skills — both offensive and defensive — become a greater focus of the nation’s security strategy. For soldiers, that means opportunity.

One projection has 3,000 uniform and civilian positions dedicated to Army cyber over the next four to five years, according to an Army official close to the effort. Precise numbers are unavailable, in part because the size of some of the organizations is classified.

“In this game of cat and mouse, we are definitely looking to create a cat with many skills,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Todd Boudreau, of the Signal Regiment at Fort Gordon, Ga.

Drawdown: 7,000 officers must go

The Army’s drawdown will hit the senior ranks of the officer corps in August when a board meets to consider senior colonels and lieutenant colonels of the basic branches for possible involuntary early retirement.

In announcing the Selective Early Retirement Board now, Army officials hope that zone-eligible officers will voluntarily request retirement in lieu of being considered for involuntary retirement, said Lt. Gen. Howard Bromberg, Army G-1 and the chief of personnel.

Under a plan designed to reduce the size of the active component from 540,000 soldiers today to 490,000 in four years, the Army needs to cut its population of retirement-eligible colonels and lieutenant colonels by 500 and 700 officers, respectively.

Dozens of companies want you — here are 10 that do the most for vets

Fifty-three companies described military-focused recruiting practices, benefits, support systems and reservist policies that earned them a place on our 2013 Best for Vets: Employers list.

And all of them said they have jobs open right now.

Geoffrey Grant, a retired Army captain, said he was worried about making the switch from the military, where the focus is always on a larger mission and purpose, to the private sector, where the bottom line is often the bottom line.

That problem was solved, he said, when he found work with our survey’s top finisher, which provides financial services and insurance to service members and their families.